Hou@NE -- REWATCH Thread

[NE-VT]

Buffet 7 @ 3:56

3-5-HOU 40
(9:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson scrambles right tackle to HOU 46 for 6 yards (32-D.McCourty).

McCourty was the closest to stopping Watson before the line to gain, but it would have been a hard play, IMO. McCourty seems like he needed to close in fast to stop Watson, and they gave Watson a cut back possibility. If McCourty contains on his side and takes a less aggressive angle, Watson might have gotten the first before Butler can close in on the other side.

 

[Tony2046]

Buffet 7 @ 3:56

3-5-HOU 40
(9:40) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson scrambles right tackle to HOU 46 for 6 yards (32-D.McCourty).

McCourty was the closest to stopping Watson before the line to gain, but it would have been a hard play, IMO. McCourty seems like he needed to close in fast to stop Watson, and they gave Watson a cut back possibility. If McCourty contains on his side and takes a less aggressive angle, Watson might have gotten the first before Butler can close in on the other side.

What is promising is seeing how they talk to each other after broken coverage. Take away one or two big plays in each game and we're looking at a 10-14 point win.

VP play 8 - You can see Jones and Gilmore discussing something.

VP play 23 - You can see McCourty and Flowers discussing the play. Looks like Flowers should have stayed with his guy.

 

[Tony2046]

Ok this looks like it could have been a dangerous play. What was a -1 loss for the Texans could have turned into a TD.

At the snap Watson hands off to Ellington running an End Around route.




Gilmore leaves his receiver to tackle Ellington but if Ellington had thrown it....Hopkins was wide open.



Pre snap the Texans sent a man in motion and McCourty followed leaving the left side containment weakened.



I believe or my guess is that once McCourty followed the man in motion Elandon Roberts should have assumed edge responsibilities. I'm not sure. Both Butler and Roberts get caught up with the sweep right play action motion and are are then corralled by the two blockers.



If Roberts (if it was his responsibility) had maintained edge containment, Gilmore would not have had to run up to make the tackle leaving Hopkins wide open.

Just my thoughts.

 

[captain stone]

I don't remember, but who were some of the better LB's that the Pats failed to acquire? I don't recall hearing many big names. I'm really asking that question, not being a smart ass.

I really wanted Zack Brown and he really wasn't that expensive either. I think he signed for like 5 or 6 million for one year if I remember correctly.

Oh yeah, I do remember him. Wasn't his time on the market really brief?

His time on the open market this past 0ff-season was about the same as his time on it the previous off-season, when he signed with Buffalo for a paltry $1.25M for one year.
Besides that mistake, Bill's other mistakes with LBs have come during draft weekend, when he could've had Telvin Smith, Aaron Wallace & Jordan Evans.
Are any of those 3, plus Brown, going to the HOF without a ticket? No, but at the very least they certainly could've helped the pathetic coverage production given by our LBs thus far.

 

[Tony2046]

His time on the open market this past 0ff-season was about the same as his time on it the previous off-season, when he signed with Buffalo for a paltry $1.25M for one year.
Besides that mistake, Bill's other mistakes with LBs have come during draft weekend, when he could've had Telvin Smith, Aaron Wallace & Jordan Evans.
Are any of those 3, plus Brown, going to the HOF without a ticket? No, but at the very least they certainly could've helped the pathetic coverage production given by our LBs thus far.

Not disagreeing with you on any level but just want to say that a lot of what I've seen looks mostly like communication issues rather than athletic ability although a faster LB could recover quicker.

I'm glad to see HT back this weekend and want to see how much of a difference it will make in the comm area. I suspect a lot. We'll see.

 

[NE-VT]

Not disagreeing with you on any level but just want to say that a lot of what I've seen looks mostly like communication issues rather than athletic ability although a faster LB could recover quicker.

I'm glad to see HT back this weekend and want to see how much of a difference it will make in the comm area. I suspect a lot. We'll see.

I think there was a fair amount of both communication issues/coverage breakdowns as well as examples of lacking athleticism from the LB group. Perhaps the LBs are just playing with hesitation and it will improve as they get more comfortable.

I completely agree that HT should make a huge difference.

However, I don't know if todays game will be a good test. The Panther's O has been pretty bad. If we don't stop them from having a big day it will speak volumes. Yet a good defensive performance will still leave open question as to how much we have improved.

 

[NE-VT]

Buffet 9 @ 5:25

3-1-HOU 39
(11:39) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson up the middle to HOU 46 for 7 yards (30-D.Harmon).

I think Van Noy gets blocked in the back as he is running to fill the hole; not his fault on this one.

—

Buffet 15 @ 9:28

1-10-HOU 43
(14:31) (Shotgun) 27-D.Foreman left end to HOU 46 for 3 yards (32-D.McCourty).

We are in 3-3 Nickel, and our SS (McCourty on this play) comes down closer to the LOS, Texans have 3 wide. Van Noy is once again lined up as a OLB, and the Texans run to his side again. This time the Texans utilize a FB as the lead blocker. Van Noy cuts inside of the lead blocker, and McCourty made the play.

I am a bit surprised that Van Noy cuts inside here. My hunch is that he has contain responsibilities rather than McCourty, although it is hard to be sure. I would guess that BB would prefer the LB to take on that FB lead blocker while maintaining outside leverage. We did manage to stop them for 3 yards, but it is hard to imagine this is how Patrica drew up the run fits.


—

Buffet 16 @ 10:00


2-7-HOU 46
(13:48) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left to 27-D.Foreman pushed ob at NE 20 for 34 yards (30-D.Harmon).


Again we are in a single high safety nickel look with McCourty coming closer to the LOS lined up across from the TE. We rush 5 with a LB blitz from Roberts, and we are playing Cover 1 man. Van Noy is responsible for the RB Foreman, who appears to be Watson’s hot read on this play (the passing option to look for when pressured).

Van Noy attempted to undercut Foreman’s route in the flat, yet he was not quite able to reach the ball. To me this is both a physical issue and a mental error. I believe a more athletic LB might have picked that ball off, or at least deflected the pass. Given that Van Noy was not quick enough to do that, he could have taken a less aggressive angel. If he does not contest the catch but just tackles the ball carrier right away we force a 3 and ~2. Instead, Van Noy saw the potential for the big play yet failed to realize the potential.

 

[NE-VT]

Ok this looks like it could have been a dangerous play. What was a -1 loss for the Texans could have turned into a TD.

At the snap Watson hands off to Ellington running an End Around route.

View attachment 18080


Gilmore leaves his receiver to tackle Ellington but if Ellington had thrown it....Hopkins was wide open.

One quick thought on that one. I think that it is pretty tough for a righty to throw it accurately with sufficient power while running quickly to the left. Maybe Hopkins was so wide open this would not matter.

Dez Bryant threw a TD pass on an end around like the one you drew up, but Dez is a lefty.



I wonder if our defense plays this differently if the end around is going the other direction or if Ellington was a lefty. Not sure if we game plan around stuff like that or not.

 

[supafly]

I think there was a fair amount of both communication issues/coverage breakdowns as well as examples of lacking athleticism from the LB group. Perhaps the LBs are just playing with hesitation and it will improve as they get more comfortable.

I completely agree that HT should make a huge difference.

However, I don't know if todays game will be a good test. The Panther's O has been pretty bad. If we don't stop them from having a big day it will speak volumes. Yet a good defensive performance will still leave open question as to how much we have improved.

I imagine that we'll get a much better feel for how much this defense may improve by midnight, Thursday evening.